Reliable basic standard gas boiler for 17yr old system

[Fenlander]

Hello. New to posting on forum. I've read a few posts and the boiler change FAQs etc.

We have a 17yr old system which is fitted with a Thorn Olympic wall mount. It was £40 when fitted and at least 5yrs old at the time. This was on advice of a BGas engineer who said it was built like a tank and would likely outlast a new boiler. True to his word it never needed any repairs and untill an unreliable pilot and a very slightly pourous water jacket (only when stone cold) in the last month it has been great.

So time to replace and I want to fit the new boiler a couple of metres to one side in the same room. We have a system with loft header tank, vented hot water cylinder, pump & 3-way motorised valve near cylinder, room stat & digital programmer in hall. Boiler is only gas appliance in the house and supply is 22mm to within 1m of boiler.

I want to keep to a standard boiler on the same system so the replacement is as straightforward as possible.

As cash is tight (but no cheap bodges wanted) I would plan to physically hang the new boiler myself and do the new flue hole plus run the new heating water pipes to it. Then I'd get a qualified engineer to powerflush the system and connect/ commission.

At the same time I would want to dry line the existing solid double brick victorian wall with plasterboard on timber battens. I assume this is OK as most modern houses are dry lined.

So 3 questions please...

Are there special regs or practical considerations for fitting a boiler to a plasterboard wall?

As I can look up the heat values for all the existing rads in the house by their size how do I use this information to work out the boiler size to include the hot water cylinder?

Any thoughts on a quality new standard boiler that will connect to my existing system and controls with minimum fuss.

Any other thoughts on my idea of how I want to do the job?

Thanks.

 

[transam]

Plaster board , obviously needs a decent fixing , stud wall (???) can transmit noise from some boilers , boiler Johnson & Starley Reno 25 H , fully modulating A rated , stainless steel boiler , from a very good company !

 

[Fenlander]

Thanks.

I'm OK getting a strong fixing on the plasterboard as I'll have battens behind the boiler fixing points so the fixing will go through the battens and into the brick wall. I just wondered if there was any extra fitting requirement related to fire resistance with plasterboard?

Noise, if any, is OK as it's in a utility room extension on the back of the house.

I've downloaded the Reno 25 H instructions and it seems to need a drain so I assume it's a condensing boiler. Could the drain go into a boss on the soil pipe out of a WC pan?

Now found a few boiler size calculators online. They all come out around 14.5Kw for rads, hot water & 10% for extra cold weather. Does that sound about right for an average 3-bed Victorian semi with solid walls but new windows/doors and thick loft insulation?

 

[transam]

Unless your property can fullfill the excemption requirements , & it won't all new boilers will be of the condensing type , you can discharge the condensate drain into a S.V.P , if you went for the J&S reno they make 3 output all are modulating type boilers , meaning they will constantly adjust there out put to the loading on them , like most A rated boilers .
The outputs are 16 , 25 , & 31 k.w output , mostly install the 25 's unless the property is small as they are quieter in operation ., than the 16's .
To be fair , & that is important I am, as far as I am aware I am the only person on this site that fits J & S boilers , others will & would suggest other makes , but have found them to be an excellent company to deal with ,
I do not work for johnson & Starley !! choice of boiler manu's is wide , it's a competitive market , some makes u would be well advised to stay away from , the concensus on here is anything made by Ideals ! other makes probably Ravenheat , my view stay away from any ally heat exc' boilers .
Always fit boiler protection to the boiler , magnaclean , spirovent , TF1 or similar , others will have different views , hope it go's well .
For got to mention IF you are 60 or over you are entitled to a £300 grant from the warmfront scheme !!

WARNING edited 27th feb 2011 The Johnson & Starley boilers have proven to be the most unreliable boilers we have ever had the misfortune to install a total disgrace really . I apologise to all

 

[Fenlander]

OK thanks.

I wonder if anyone has a link to the exemption from a condensing boiler or can easily explain what the main points are?

 

[transam]

Even if you were exempt your next , problem would be finding a manu' who are still actually making a non-condensing boiler , the excemption criteria does or used to work on a points system , e,g a certain property was worth a set number of points , moving a boiler to another room , was worth another amount , a flue that had to be over a certain distance, so on & so forth , if you could score over a given figure you could have a standard boiler , with the intro of the new baxi back boiler (condensing) , very few propertys would be excempt , a listed building perhaps ???
but for different reasons , remember you would need to make a legal declaration that your prop is excempt , I doubt wether any one would check up but , if you go to sell your property e.ct !!

 

[nogoodatfaultfinding]

Hello. New to posting on forum. I've read a few posts and the boiler change FAQs etc.

We have a 17yr old system which is fitted with a Thorn Olympic wall mount. It was £40 when fitted and at least 5yrs old at the time. This was on advice of a BGas engineer who said it was built like a tank and would likely outlast a new boiler. True to his word it never needed any repairs and untill an unreliable pilot and a very slightly pourous water jacket (only when stone cold) in the last month it has been great.

So time to replace and I want to fit the new boiler a couple of metres to one side in the same room. We have a system with loft header tank, vented hot water cylinder, pump & 3-way motorised valve near cylinder, room stat & digital programmer in hall. Boiler is only gas appliance in the house and supply is 22mm to within 1m of boiler.

I want to keep to a standard boiler on the same system so the replacement is as straightforward as possible.

As cash is tight (but no cheap bodges wanted) I would plan to physically hang the new boiler myself and do the new flue hole plus run the new heating water pipes to it. Then I'd get a qualified engineer to powerflush the system and connect/ commission.

At the same time I would want to dry line the existing solid double brick victorian wall with plasterboard on timber battens. I assume this is OK as most modern houses are dry lined.

So 3 questions please...

Are there special regs or practical considerations for fitting a boiler to a plasterboard wall?

As I can look up the heat values for all the existing rads in the house by their size how do I use this information to work out the boiler size to include the hot water cylinder?

Any thoughts on a quality new standard boiler that will connect to my existing system and controls with minimum fuss.

Any other thoughts on my idea of how I want to do the job?

Thanks.

Due to new regulations you would be unable to hang the fixing plate/bracket yourself let alone the boiler.
You may be able to find someone to commision it for you after doing this but its now a no no i beleive.

 

[Fenlander]

Due to new regulations you would be unable to hang the fixing plate/bracket yourself let alone the boiler.
You may be able to find someone to commision it for you after doing this but its now a no no i beleive.

Since posting this query I have realised it's all changed. I actually put 95% of my current system in myself 17yrs ago with just a couple of hours help final wiring + gas connection. A few years before that I put in a whole detached house c/h system with just the final gas conn done by a fitter.

Only yesterday did I see about the current building regs stuff, certificates etc so have just contacted a GasSafe fitter to come out and do the whole job for me.